Intelligence service is an agency that gathers and manages information for a country’s political, military, and security leaders. The term intelligence refers to information that has been collected, analyzed, verified, and distributed to agencies or policymakers to meet specific objectives (goals). Intelligence influences the ways that countries govern their people, shape military policies, and conduct foreign relations. It helps governments understand current conditions, predict future events, and identify threats to security.
There are generally two types of intelligence services. Foreign intelligence services manage information relating to foreign countries and institutions. Domestic intelligence services focus on protecting a country’s own internal security. In many cases, the responsibilities of the two types of services overlap. Efforts to prevent international terrorism, for instance, often incorporate information from both foreign and domestic sources.
Intelligence services obtain information in a variety of ways. Intelligence collected through electronic methods is called technological intelligence. Sources of technological intelligence include satellites, hidden listening devices, imaging and mapping tools, and computer monitoring systems. Intelligence obtained through more traditional methods is called human intelligence. Sources of human intelligence include covert (secret) operations, interviews, and informants, as well as “open sources,” such as newspapers and television broadcasts.
Major foreign intelligence services in the United States include the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency/Central Security Service, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. Major domestic services include the Federal Bureau of Investigation and agencies within the Department of Homeland Security. In many other countries—including the United Kingdom, Canada, and France—foreign intelligence efforts are closely associated with the military, and domestic intelligence efforts are handled by police.
